City Slang

City Slang: Weekly music review roundup

Remember – if you send it, it will get reviewed. That’s the City Slang promise. It doesn’t matter what genre the music is – as long as it has a Metro Detroit connection, it’ll get in. Preferably, we’d like to concentrate on new releases but, while we’re getting warmed up here, feel free to send back catalog material too. Send CDs, vinyl, cassettes, demos and 8-tracks to Brett Callwood, City Slang, Metro Times, 733, St. Antoine, Detroit, MI 46226. Email MP3s and streaming links to mt.cityslang@gmail.com.

Benjamin Miles & Eddie Logix handed me a copy of the Play it Forward (Five30 Music) CD at my recent book launch party, and it’s a good thing they did, because it’s one of the smartest hip-hop albums City Slang has heard in some time. Every lyric and every beat seems to have been deeply though out, and the result is a record that proves that rappers can be intelligent AND cool.

The Delta Twins’ new album, Skyline (self-released) features 15 tracks of hard-kicking Americana-tinged country rock. It’s well played, well produced, and not without passion.

Gone By Sunset “Choir Class Dropouts” single is an example of fun if totally generic pop punk. It’s bouncy, likeable and charming. Nothing new, but sometimes ‘tried and tested’ ok.

Jimmie Walker’s Thugging EP (self-released) is stunning. Think Arthur Lee and Love in a room with Gnarls Barkley, and you’re still not doing them justice. The singing is soulful, the musicianship is spot on and the songs are great. Check them out.